In the fifth novel, Barristan Selmy told Daenerys that her father lusted after Joanna Lannister and acted indecently at her wedding. According to the "World of Ice & Fire" companion volume, there were unverified rumors that Joanna was Aerys' mistress. Based on that, there is a fan theory that Aerys was the father of Jaime and Cersei, or Tyrion's.
Martin (how typical) spread many hints in the books that may support the theory:
- One of Tyrion's main interests is the study of dragons.
- Tyrion's mother, similarly to Daenerys and Jon, died giving birth to him.
- Joffrey had many negative traits that Aerys and others who carried the Targaryen madness strain also had. Joffrey could have inherited that strain via Cersei, who is also mentally unstable and capable of homicide and sadism.
- Tyrion called Joffrey "Aerys the Third".
- Tywin told Tyrion "Men's laws give you the right to bear my name and display my colors since I cannot prove that you are not mine".
- The last sentence Tywin told Jaime and Tyrion was "you are no son of mine", almost in the same words.
- Genna, Tywin's sister, told Jaime "Tyrion is Tywin's son, not you".
- Aerys sought to destroy KL with wildfire. Cersei and Tyrion destroyed parts of the city with wildfire: Tyrion - the harbor, Cersei - the Tower of the Hand (book)/the Great Sept of Baelor (show).
- When Jaime heard about Cersei's intention to destroy the Tower of the Hand, he told her "Now you sound like Aerys". Cersei felt excitement watching the tower being destroyed - similarly to Aerys, who was aroused by watching people burnt to death at his command.
What do you think of this theory?